Philadelphia trip

I plan to be in the Philadelphia area soon, for about 10 days. Whu'z happinin' in that area? Got commitments for a couple of days, but no firm plans otherwise. I have a few things I want to see, having lived there 50 years ago (1953 - 1956).

1. The best place for a Phillie Cheesteak sandwich. Suggestions appreciated! Steak, cheese, onions, mushrooms, light on the peppers, no lettuce and tomato (California additions you have to ask NOT to have :-p )

2. Philadelphia Academy of Fine Arts (both my parents went there, met and married, but never took me there as a kid - strange!)

3. Probably the Museum of Natural History (Don't recall going there either, but just about know the Franklin Institue by heart)

4. Maybe a quick peek at Central High, went there for my freshman year. Is Fells Jr. High still in existence? Went there for the last 2 years of that level.

Ummmmm. I guess that is about it for what I know of. Done the Independance thing to death. Really don't much like zoos, though I loved the one in Phillie as a kid, but have a bit more empathy with the inmates now.

Horn and Hardart is long gone, more's the pity. But I recall there was a fabulous Italian restaurant downtown, any clues?

Is the Hobby Shop in Germantown still there? Are any Hobby Shops still there?

E mail me with suggestions, please. I really don't want to publish exact dates on a public web!

Thanks one and all!

Be sure to check out Hahnemann Hospital, birthplace of the undersigned. I passed it a couple of years ago, but didn't go in. I figured there'd be a plaque at least or maybe somebody who remembered me.

Howard Rush

Howard,

I forgot to tell you, the last time I saw you, (a few years) that they dropped the plaque and it broke...sob...!

Horn & Hardarts is gone??? Good grief, they were a Philly institution! What about Tastycakes?

Lived in the area 'til '56, just across the river in S. Jersey. Often crossed the Dela--oops, Ben Franklin--Bridge (which is now painted BLUE, for gosh sakes) enroute to that fabulous old hobby shop at 6th & Market. Don't bother looking for it, though. It was razed, along with the entire neighborhood, decades ago in order to create Independence Mall...and probably a few dozen Starbucks along with other upscale foo-foo attractions for the tourists.

Here's one for the locals (you too, Larry): remember "Bandstand"? No, not Dick Clark's *American* Bandstand, which came along later, but the original "Bandstand" with Bob Horn. Same small studio at 46th & Market (WCAU-TV). This ol' grandpa was once among the greasy-haired "James Dean wannabes" appearing on that one.

During a business trip 30 years later I had occasion to again visit West Philly, which by then resembled the aftermath of a combat zone.

Too bad you're visiting in Winter. Another few months and you could go "down the shore". But then I imagine THAT'S not what it used to be, either.

Mike Keville

Horn & Hardtarts has been gone for years. The Reading Terminal is no longer used for trains and is now a convention center. Tastykakes still exist along with the infamous Philly soft pretzels. If you want a good cheese steak go to Geno's it's alot better that Pat's steaks. Both places are on Broad Street, across the street from each other. Aside from that, I hope this nasty ice storm we are going through right now dissapates so you can get here. Right now, it doesn't look good.

Oh, yeah...Geno's. That place was featured on some TV show a while back. Can't remember which show, but just looking at it made one's mouth water.

Reading Terminal: Broad & Market, right? Used to catch trains to NYC there.

Just to date myself a bit further, my dad and I used to attend Philly Athletics games at Shibe Park.

Mike Keville

Mike:

Reading Terminal is at 12th and Market. My dad used to work for the old Reading Railroad and had an office there for awhile. 69th Street is alot worse than it used to be....can get mugged, shot or robbed in broad daylight. Probably one of the top 3 worse neighborhoods in Philly along with Powelton Village (behind 30th Street Station)and the West Oak Lane section of the city. Stay in center city and you're okay.

DAVE

Larry:

As far as I know, Todd's Hobbies at 69th and Market still exists. Not in the greatest of neighborhoods, though. It's out by the 69th Street Terminal, which was the interchange between Septa and Red Arrow. Of course, it's all SEPTA now ( for the uninitiated, SEPTA = Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority ).


DAVE

It's all relative, of course. To make Philly look good, merely cross the Ben Franklin Bridge to Camden, NJ.

Mike Keville

Larry,
There is a lot to see and do in Philly.

For the best cheesesteak Geno's or Pat's is what you want. I prefer Geno's, but thats just me. Geno's also has the most neon lights for miles!! They are both located at 9th and Passyunk (not Broad St.).

As mentioned before stay out of West Philly. Nuff said.

South St. at Penns Landing is a very popular place to go. From Deleware Ave. (Front St) up to 6th or 8th street is nothing but shops, bars and restaurants. Tons of people fill the street.

Market St. between Deleware Ave. (Front St.) is similar to South St. Less shops and more bars/restaurants, but on a much higher class. You will spend some money there.

The Reading Terminal is a good time. Filled with a lot of the areas best food and some small shops. I have to warn you it is tight (elbow to elbow). I was there two weeks ago after we went through the PA auto show so maybe that added to the crowd?.

I don't know of any GOOD hobby shops in Philly. I am not sure if Todds is still around. I have a feeling it's gone.

Like you mentioned there is the zoo, museums, historical sites, theaters, sports arena etc.......

Don't forget to stop by the Philly Fliers field......

WHAT????----you are not going to vist the STERLING BUILDING at Belfield Ave. and Wister Street, the late home of STERLING MODELS?????

Ken Wilson
Evansville, IN

Larry,
For a great sea food dinner go to the "Original Book Binder" but beware there are two restaurants in central Philly called Book Binder, they are both good but the "Original Book Binder" is the best. The building it's in dates back to the revolutionary days.
Andy

I still talk about the meal I had at the Original Book Binders. It was absolutely wonderful.

Ted took me there when I flew with him on one of his regular trips and I will never forget it.

That meal was consumed many, many, many years ago but if the "OBB" still exists I highly recommend it.

Shareen

Philly is on the rebound in recent years. Beautiful downtown, full of upscale restaurants, restored old residences, parks. The Philadelphia Museum of Art is a beaut. Choose almost any European or American era, they've a collection worth checking out. Always new visiting exhibitions. A few weeks ago I spent hours looking at the Armor collection. Chain mail crafted from over 100,000 individually forged links. Great food in either the Cafe or Restaurant. A Jazz ensemble on Sundays, I believe, plays as you dine at brunch. Often there's Friday night Jazz and other events during the week. Say hello to Rocky outside near the main entrance steps. Soon the huge Barnes Collection will be moved to downtown Philly, near the present Art Museum. A trove of American and European Impressionist painters. The Museum of Contemporary Art located on Broad Street near City Hall is housed in a Furness building. Great Stuff. There's the Franklin Institute Science museum and lots and... and...

There are three classy Jazz venues almost on the level of the Blue Note or Iridium in NYC, a first class Blues venue. Many lesser clubs. Local classy jazz music and visiting big name greats. Five or six legitimate regional theaters as well as a many "off off Broadway" theater companies that perform seasons in rental spaces. The Kimmel Center is a dazzling piece of new Architecture that features visiting big name entertainment. Classical music, jazz, theater.

South Philly has the Italian market, blocks of outdoor and indoor food vendors. Bunch of hams selling the produce and meats, full of character, great fun. Many old time reasonable Italian restaurants. Reading Terminal Market is near Broad, cheap quality eats, produce, meats etc.

Two weekly newspapers (City Paper and Philadelphia Weekly) review shows and calendar events. Find them in boxes at most downtown street corners. We still support two daily papers.

I grew up in New York City, am something of a culture vulture, knocked around some, have lived here in Philly over 35 years. Could have moved back to NYC a few times, did not. Lots to do here, much easier life style, cheap housing stock.

No more hobby shops within the City Limits. There were many. Todd's is long gone. No more Northeast Hobbies or Allied Hobbies. Sterling was on Belfield avenue, closed up many years ago. B Paul a major model airplane distributor gone a long time.

Best of all (!!!!????) there are the Philly Flyers, nearly fifty of us. Devoted to Control Line. We have a great flying field (aside from the weird winds) near the Delaware in Neshaminy Park, just northeast of Philly proper. There's a real old time family operated Hobby Shop, Penn Valley Hobbies, located in Lansdale, PA. Fifteen or twenty miles Northwest of the city. On Thursday between six and seven we convene at the Hobby Shop, bother the owners, buy some stuff. Afterwards it's a healthy meal of the three basic food groups, Pizza, French Fries and ice cream. Members of our club include Dan Banjok, Mike Palko, Bob Zambelli, Jack Weston, Tom H, and... us grunts. At our weekly meetings we lie, abuse each other and fall out laughing. ALL MODELERS (and others) WELCOME!

Best,

Dennis Moritz

I know that Banjock, Palko, and Weston have the most fun of anybody at the Nats. A Philly Flyers meeting must be a good time.

Howard Rush

If you go to Sterling, please say hello to inspector 2 on assembly line number 5.

Howard Rush

Dewey's Flagship the USS Olympia is tied up on the river just down from the bridge, that's always cool to explore. If you want to dare the demilitarized zone that is Camden on the other side of the river the USS New Jersey is tied up on the NJ side and open for visitors. My Dad and I crawled through it last summer before the Philly contest. The USS United States is tied up on the Philly side about a mile down from the Olympia, but the ship is not open for visitors, so you can only see it from the pier.



Steve

If you want to see where the old Sterling building at its last know address. Make sure you borrow Mikes tank. When i was in the area just before they sold the company. Was told by the owner of Sterling not to leave anything in the truck bed. If you stop at a light or stop sign it's gone !!

The old Sterling plant is about twenty blocks from where I live. Different neighborhood. My friend had a race car shop down from Sterling. I made the mistake of staying late one New Years Eve, had to wait to 2 or 3 am to leave, when the gunshots died down. Guys from the suburbs got hassled, we never did. Locals having fun. None of the expensive cars in the shop were ever bothered. About ten years ago my friend moved his shop out to a rural area about thirty miles from the city. Nice to visit, look up at trees, see grass. Leave cars around unlocked. The real estate inflation hit Philly and my friend's new digs. Suddenly my 150 year old row house was worth some bucks. His rural properties are now worth plenty. Guess people are jamming themselves back into the Northeast corridor. Cycles. After years of hemorrhaging population, Philly is gaining new folks. Folks buying up the old houses and rehabbing. Folks buying new big buck condos. We're at an ironic moment in Philadelphia. Murder rates in some sections are scary and sad. Elsewhere the prices of places to live are spiking higher and higher.

There's nothing contradictory about the downtown culture life. Downtown Philly is a great place to visit, lots of good stuff to see and do. Beautiful restored old homes. Places to party and cool out and enjoy the best of urban life.

Is the uncovered framework of that single-engine biplane amphibian still on display out in front of the Franklin Museum? And if so, what is it?

Mike Keville

YES! It's there. The stainless built up ribs and fuselage out there in the weather. (Always looked like stainless, but I never checked. How else look polished and unmarked year after year, exposed to rain and snow.) I never found out the name of the plane. I'll take a look.

I agree with Shareen. I have been to the Original Bookbinders several times. It is one of the best restaurants in the country.

Sadly, the once beautiful USS United States had most of it furnishings and items from the wheel house taken years ago. There is a group trying to restore her.

If you want to have a great time, you have to get with the Philly Fliers. They are a true bunch of nuts, that will have you laughing all the time! Whether they are flying or just meeting together, you will love them and never forget them.